The present invention relates to a side thruster of a flying object, and more particularly to a side thruster which uses, as an operating source, gas generated by combustion of a solid gas generating agent so as to change a moving direction of the flying object and control an attitude thereof.
xe2x80x9cAeronautics and Space Technology Handbook, Second Editionxe2x80x9d (issued by Maruzen Co., Ltd. in Sep. 30, 1992) discloses in pages 729 to 730 that a side thruster can be applied to a controlling method for a flying object.
In accordance with consideration by the inventors of the present invention, there can be listed up, for example, a side thruster of a flying object provided with a combustion chamber in which a solid gas generating agent is charged, a nozzle arranged in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the flying object, a tube body for flowing gas generated in accordance with combustion of the solid gas generating agent within the combustion chamber to the nozzle, and a gas flow amount control mechanism arranged in a portion between the combustion chamber and the nozzle in the tube body.
Here, the gas flow amount control mechanism can employ a valve mechanism provided with a nozzle member fixed within the tube body and a pintle moving forward to and backward from a throat portion of the nozzle member so as to control a gas flow amount, and a valve mechanism provided with a drive shaft passing through the tube body in a diametrical direction and a rotary valve rotated by the drive shaft.
However, in the side thruster of the flying object, since a pressure of the gas acting on the pintle and the rotary valve and flowing through the tube body is concentrated in one direction, that is, since a load for preventing an axial movement is applied to the pintle and a load for preventing a rotation is applied to the rotary valve, it is considered that a large torque is required for driving the pintle and the rotary valve. This causes the matter that the size of the drive portion for driving the valve mechanism is correspondingly increased or the like, and is not preferable.
The present invention is made by taking the above matter into consideration, and an object of the present invention is to provide a side thruster of a flying object which can control a gas flow amount without requiring a great torque.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a side thruster of a flying object comprising: a solid gas generating agent; a nozzle arranged in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the flying object; a tube body flowing gas generated by combustion of the solid gas generating agent to the nozzle, the solid gas generating agent being arranged around the tube body; a plurality of orifices provided on a peripheral wall of the tube body along a circumferential direction thereof and capable of injecting the gas generated by the combustion of the solid gas generating agent toward an axis of the tube body; and a valve provided within the tube body and rotatable around the axis of the tube body so as to open and close the plurality of orifices.
In other words, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a side thruster of a flying object comprising: a solid gas generating agent; a nozzle arranged in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the flying object; a tube body flowing the gas generated by combustion of the solid gas generating agent to the nozzle, the solid gas generating agent being arranged around the tube body; a plurality of orifices provided on a peripheral wall of the tube body along a circumferential direction thereof and capable of injecting the gas generated by combustion of the solid gas generating agent toward an axis of the tube body; and means provided within the tube body and rotatable around the axis of the tube body for opening and closing the plurality of orifices.